Fueling nozzle adapter

ABSTRACT

A nozzle adapter for coupling a fueling nozzle to an underwing type servicing adapter having a radially outward extending tab and a notch formed in an open end thereof comprises an outer body including a neck portion having a first conduit formed therein and a substantially cylindrical cap portion, the cap portion including at least one slot formed therein. An inner body has a second conduit formed therein and is disposed within the cap portion of the outer body and an annular channel is formed between the cap portion and the inner body. The at least one tab is received in the at least one slot and a rotation of the nozzle adapter relative to the servicing adapter causes a first aperture configured to receive a locking device therein to be aligned with the at least one notch of the servicing adapter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 62/010,128, filed Jun. 10, 2014, the entire disclosure of which ishereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adapter for use with an overwingtype fueling nozzle, and more specifically to an adapter for coupling anoverwing type fueling nozzle to an underwing type fueling adapter.

BACKGROUND

Fueling nozzles for refueling an aircraft include “overwing” typenozzles and “underwing” type nozzles. The overwing type fueling nozzlesare similar to a fuel or petrol station nozzles for refueling anautomobile and include a spout that delivers the fuel through an openingabove a fuel tank of the aircraft by means of gravity feeding. Incontrast, the underwing type fueling nozzles are used when the fuel ispumped into the fuel tank of the aircraft through a single-point fuelingport that is often located below the wing. The underwing type fuelingnozzles are accordingly designed to be used with a dry break quickdisconnect adapter. The dry break quick disconnect adapter allows theunderwing type fueling nozzle to be disconnected from the adapterwithout spilling excessive amounts of the fuel by discontinuing a flowof the fuel through the nozzle when the underwing type fueling nozzle isnot coupled to the adapter.

When using equipment for the refueling of an aircraft, it is frequentlydesirable to recirculate the fuel through the refueling system. The fuelmay be recirculated through the refueling system to flush new hoses,following the replacement of a filter element, and for the testing ofmeters, additive systems, and interlocks, for example. The recirculationof the fuel may be accomplished by pumping the fuel through the fuelingnozzle of the refueling system back into the fuel tank of the refuelingsystem.

Many refueling systems already include or are easily adapted to includea dry break quick disconnect adapter acting as a recirculation inletthat is adapted to mate with an underwing type fueling nozzle to performthe recirculation of the fuel. Such dry break quick disconnect adaptersare not adapted for use with an overwing type fueling nozzle having atraditional spout for delivering the fuel. Instead, the recirculationprocess requires that the overwing type fueling nozzle be placed into aninlet of the refueling system that delivers the fuel by gravity to thefuel tank of the refueling system. The recirculation of the fuel usingthe overwing type fueling nozzle may present a hazard in cases whereaccessing the inlet to the fuel tank of the refueling system isdifficult such as when the inlet is located on the top of a truck-basedtank. Additionally, the lack of a dry break interconnect between theoverwing type fueling nozzle and the inlet may create the potential forsplashing, spray, and the accumulation of fuel vapors, which alsopresent potential hazards.

It would therefore be desirable to create an adapter for an overwingtype fueling nozzle that allows the overwing type fueling nozzle to matewith a dry break disconnect adapter.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, an adapter for coupling anunderwing type servicing adapter to an overwing type fueling nozzle isdisclosed.

In an embodiment of the current invention, a nozzle adapter for fluidlycoupling a fuel delivery device to an underwing type servicing adapterhaving at least one radially outward extending tab and at least oneaxially extending notch formed at an open end thereof is disclosed. Thenozzle adapter comprises a main body having a first end and a secondend, the first end configured to be removably coupled to the fueldelivery device and the second end having a channel and at least oneslot formed therein, wherein the channel is configured to receive theopen end of the servicing adapter therein and the at least one slot isconfigured to receive the at least one tab of the servicing adaptertherein. The nozzle adapter further comprises a conduit extending fromthe first end to the second end providing fluid communication betweenthe fuel delivery device and the servicing adapter.

In another embodiment of the invention, a nozzle adapter for coupling afuel delivery device to an underwing type servicing adapter having atleast one radially outward extending tab and at least one axiallyextending notch formed at an open end thereof is disclosed. The nozzleadapter comprises an outer body including a neck portion and a capportion, the neck portion configured to be removably coupled to the fueldelivery device, an inner body disposed within the cap portion, whereina channel is formed between an interior surface of the cap portion andan exterior surface of the inner body, the channel configured to receivethe open end of the servicing adapter therein to removably couple thenozzle adapter to the servicing adapter, and a conduit extending throughthe outer body and the inner body, the conduit providing fluidcommunication between the fuel delivery device and the servicingadapter.

The invention also includes a method of coupling a nozzle adapter to anunderwing type servicing adapter, the method comprising the steps of:providing a servicing adapter having at least one radially outwardextending tab formed in an open end thereof; providing a nozzle adapterhaving a channel and at least one slot formed therein; inserting theopen end of the servicing adapter into the channel and the at least onetab into the at least one slot; and rotating the nozzle adapter relativeto the servicing adapter to form a fluid tight connection therebetween.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. The description and specific examples in this summaryare intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended tolimit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only ofselected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are notintended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded front perspective view of a fuel couplingarrangement including a fueling nozzle, a quick disconnect adapter, afuel servicing adapter, and a recirculation adapter according to anembodiment of the current invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded front cross-sectional elevational view ofthe recirculation adapter, fuel servicing adapter, and quick disconnectadapter illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a front elevational view illustrating a method of axiallyaligning the recirculation adapter and the fuel servicing adapter forcoupling the recirculation adapter to the fuel servicing adapter;

FIG. 3B is a front elevational view illustrating a method of rotatingthe recirculation adapter relative to the fuel servicing adapter tosecurely couple the recirculation adapter to the fuel servicing adapter;and

FIG. 3C is a front cross-sectional elevational view illustrating therecirculation adapter and the fuel servicing adapter when coupled toeach other and rotationally restricted by the insertion of a lockingdevice into a notch formed in the fuel servicing adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature ofthe subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more inventions, andis not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specificinvention claimed in this application or in such other applications asmay be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuingtherefrom. Additionally, the dimensions provided in the drawings aremerely for purposes of explaining the invention, and are not necessaryor critical to operation of the invention unless otherwise statedherein. In respect of the methods disclosed, the steps presented areexemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps is not necessaryor critical.

FIGS. 1-3C illustrate a recirculation adapter 10 according to anembodiment of the invention. The recirculation adapter 10 is configuredto couple a fueling nozzle 20 to a pressure fuel servicing adapter 30.

The fueling nozzle 20 may be any standard form of nozzle or other deviceused to deliver fuel from a source (not shown) of a fuel to a reservoir(not shown) such as a fuel tank, for example. The fueling nozzle 20includes an inlet 21 and an outlet 22. The inlet 21 of the fuelingnozzle 20 may be fluidly coupled to the source of the fuel via a hose(not shown) or other conduit. The outlet 22 of the fueling nozzle 20 maynormally be coupled to a spout (not shown). The spout may besubstantially cylindrical or may transition from a cylindrical shape atone end to a substantially flattened portion at another end suited formating with fuel receptacles adapted to receive jet fuel, for example.The spout may be removably coupled to the outlet 22 of the fuelingnozzle 20 using any known method, including the use of a quickdisconnect swivel. The quick disconnect swivel may feature a ballrelease design or a spring wire, as non-limiting examples. In otherembodiments, a threaded connection with a locking nut may be used, asdesired. The fueling nozzle 20 may further include a handle 25, a leverassembly 26, and an internal valve assembly (not shown). The leverassembly 26 may be mechanically linked to the internal valve assembly ina manner wherein a change of inclination of the lever assembly 26 maycause the internal valve assembly to provide fluid communication betweenthe inlet 21 of the fueling nozzle 20 and the outlet 22 thereof.Although the fueling nozzle 20 has been described as being substantiallysimilar to a standard fueling nozzle, any suitable fuel delivery devicehaving an outlet suitable for coupling with the recirculation adapter 10may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention,as desired

The servicing adapter 30 may be any standard adapter for use with aknown underwing type fueling nozzle such as a standard underwing typequick disconnect adapter, for example. The servicing adapter 30 issubstantially cylindrical in shape and may include notches 32 formed inan open first end 31 thereof. The notches 32 may be formed in an annulararray about a circumference of the servicing adapter 30, wherein thenotches 32 may be equally spaced about a perimeter of the open first end31 of the servicing adapter 30. Interposed between the notches 32 is aplurality of tabs 34 extending radially outwardly from an outercircumferential surface of the first end 31 of the servicing adapter 30,wherein the tabs 34 may also be positioned in an annular array about thecircumference of the servicing adapter 30 and spaced apart from eachother in similar fashion to the notches 32.

The servicing adapter 30 may also include an annular flange 35 formed ata second open end 36 of the servicing adapter 30. The flange 35 mayinclude an annular array of apertures 37 formed therein for coupling theservicing adapter 30 to a quick disconnect adapter 90. The quickdisconnect adapter 90 provides fluid communication between the servicingadapter 30 and a fuel reservoir to which the quick disconnect adapter 90is coupled. The fuel reservoir may be a fuel tank included on a vehicleor may be the fuel source (not shown) from which the inlet 21 of thefueling nozzle 20 receives the fuel. Accordingly, the servicing adapter30 in some circumstances may be used to recirculate fuel originatingfrom the fuel source through the fueling nozzle 20 and back into thefuel source, as desired.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the open first end 31 of the servicing adapter30 forms an inlet into a substantially cylindrical passageway 33 influid communication with a hollow interior 96 of the quick disconnectadapter 90. The servicing adapter 30 may include a sealing surface 42formed within the passageway 33 between the first open end 31 and thesecond open end 36 thereof. The sealing surface 42 may extend radiallyinward from an interior wall of the servicing adapter 30 defining thepassageway 33 and may be spaced apart from the open first end 31 by adistance greater than a height of the notches 32. A radially inward edgeof the sealing surface 42 defines an opening 43.

A poppet 44 having a poppet head 45 may be disposed within the hollowinterior 96 of the quick disconnect adapter 90 and the poppet head 45may extend into the passageway 33 of the servicing adapter 30. Thepoppet head 45 may be configured to sealingly engage the sealing surface42 at or adjacent the edge thereof defining the opening 43. The poppethead 45 is normally urged in a direction toward the opening 43 by aspring or other suitable biasing device 99 to maintain the servicingadapter 30 in a closed position when not in use. Fuel is able to flowaround the poppet head 45 when the poppet head 45 is spaced apart fromthe opening 43 in a direction against the urging of the biasing device99, allowing the fuel to enter the hollow interior 96 of the quickdisconnect adapter 90 before flowing toward the fuel reservoir to whichthe quick disconnect adapter 90 is coupled.

The recirculation adapter 10 is removably coupled to each of the outlet22 of the fueling nozzle 20 and the servicing adapter 30. Therecirculation adapter 10 is formed from a main body that may comprise anouter body 12 and an inner body 14, as shown in FIG. 2. The outer body12 includes a neck portion 16 and a cap portion 18. The inner body 14 isdisposed within the outer body 12 and an annular channel 80 is formedbetween and defined by an interior surface 17 of the cap portion 18 andan exterior surface 15 of the inner body 14. The annular channel 80 isconfigured to receive the first end 31 of the servicing adapter 30 whenthe recirculation adapter 10 is coupled to the servicing adapter 30.

The neck portion 16 is substantially cylindrical and includes a firstend 51 and a second end 52. A substantially planar annular surface 61 ofthe cap portion 18 extends radially outwardly from the second end 52 ofthe neck portion 16. A first conduit 7 is formed through an entirety ofthe neck portion 16 from the first end 51 to the second end 52 thereof.The first conduit 7 provides fluid communication between the outlet 22of the fueling nozzle 20 and a second conduit 8 formed within the innerbody 14. The first conduit 7 may be substantially cylindrical in shapeas a non-limiting example. An outer surface 54 of the neck portion 16may include a first annular indentation 55 having a first seal 56disposed therein. The first seal 56 is also annular in shape and may beany suitable type of seal, such as an O-ring, for example. The outersurface 54 of the neck portion 16 may further include a second annularindentation 57 formed therein between the first annular indentation 55and the second end 52 of the neck portion 16. The second annularindentation 57 may include a second seal 58 disposed therein. The secondseal 58 is annular in shape and may also be any suitable type of seal,such as an O-ring, for example.

A coupling of the neck portion 16 of the recirculation adapter 10 to theoutlet 22 of the fueling nozzle 20 may be dependent on the couplingmeans used to couple the outlet 22 of the fueling nozzle to the spout24. Accordingly, the coupling of the neck portion 16 of therecirculation adapter 10 may include a quick disconnect swivel couplinghaving one of a ball release sleeve design and a spring wire, asdesired. In other embodiments, a threaded connection with a locking nutmay be used. However, it should be understood that any structure forremovably coupling the recirculation adapter 10 to the outlet 22 of thefueling nozzle 20 while maintaining a fluid tight seal therebetween maybe used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The annular surface 61 of the cap portion 18 extends radially outwarduntil terminating at a peripheral circumferential surface 65 of the capportion 18. The circumferential surface 65 extends from a first end 67thereof formed at an intersection of the annular surface 61 and thecircumferential surface 65 to a second end 68 thereof, wherein thesecond end 68 is spaced apart from the first end 67 in an axialdirection of the cap portion 18.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the cap portion 18 of the outer body 12 mayinclude an annular array of slots 38 formed therein. The slots 38 extendthrough the cap portion 18 from the circumferential surface 65 thereofto the interior surface 17 thereof to provide access to the annularchannel 80 formed between the outer body 12 and the inner body 14. Eachof the slots 38 may be substantially L-shaped and may include a firstleg 97 extending from the second end 68 of the circumferential surface65 in a direction toward the first end 67 thereof and a second leg 98extending from an end of the first leg 97 around at least a portion ofthe circumference of the circumferential surface 65 in a directiontransverse to the first leg 67. The second leg 98 of each of the slots38 may also include at least one angled surface 69 arranged at an anglewith respect to a plane formed by the second end 68 of the cap portion18. The at least one angled surface 69 may facilitate a secureconnection between the recirculation adapter 10 and the servicingadapter 30 when coupled to each other.

The slots 38 are configured to receive one of the tabs 34 formed on theservicing adapter 30. Accordingly, the number of slots 38 formed in thecap portion 18 are dependent on the number of tabs 34 formed on theservicing adapter 30. Although FIG. 1 depicts only one of the slots 38formed in the recirculation adapter 10, it should be understood that therecirculation adapter 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3C includes three of theslots 38 to correspond to the three tabs 34 formed in the servicingadapter 30 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3A, 3B, and 3C. Similarly, a spacingof the slots 38 about the circumferential surface 65 may be dependent ona spacing of the tabs 34 about the open first end 31 of the servicingadapter 30. Although described herein as being substantially L-shaped,the slots 38 may have any suitable shape for tightly and securelycoupling the recirculation adapter 10 to the servicing adapter 30 whenthe tabs 34 of the servicing adapter 30 are disposed therein.

The interior surface 17 of the cap portion 18 includes a shoulder 85extending radially inwardly therefrom. A radially inward surface of theshoulder 85 abuts the exterior surface 15 of the inner body 14. Theshoulder 85 is axially spaced apart from the second end 68 of the capportion 18 to form the annular channel 80. A third seal 87 may bedisposed between the exterior surface 15 of the inner body 14 and theshoulder 85 of the cap portion 18 to provide a fluid tight sealtherebetween, militating against fluid flowing through the recirculationadapter 10 from entering the annular channel 80. The third seal 87 isannular in shape and may be any suitable type of seal, such as anO-ring, for example. In some embodiments, the shoulder 85 of the capportion 18 may further include a coupling means formed thereon forcoupling the inner body 14 with the cap portion 18. The coupling meansmay be female threading formed on a radially interior surface of theshoulder 85 cooperating with male threading formed on the exteriorsurface 15 of the inner body 14, as a non-limiting example. However, inthe embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the inner body 14 is shown asbeing coupled to the cap portion 18 by a pair of axially extendingconnectors 88. The connectors 88 may be screws, bolts, pins, or anysuitable coupling means, as desired.

The recirculation adapter 10 further includes a locking assembly 82comprising a locking device 91 and a biasing element 76. The lockingdevice 91 may for instance be an elongate member such as a pin, bolt, ormachine screw, as non-limiting examples. The locking device 91 mayinclude a stopper 92 or head formed at a first end 73 thereof, a detentpin 93 formed at a second end 74 thereof, and an elongate body 94extending therebetween, wherein each of the stopper 92 and the detentpin 93 have a larger outer diameter than the body 94. The annularsurface 61 of the cap portion 18 includes a first aperture 95 formedtherein for receiving the locking device 91. The first aperture 95extends through the cap portion 18 and provides access to the annularchannel 80. The first aperture 95 may be formed to have a first portion84 formed adjacent the annular surface 61 and a second portion 86 formedadjacent the annular channel 80. The first portion 84 may have a firstinner diameter while the second portion 86 may have a second innerdiameter, wherein the second inner diameter is larger than the firstinner diameter. The first inner diameter of the first portion 84 islarge enough to receive the body 94 of the locking device 91therethrough, but the first inner diameter is also small enough todisallow either of the stopper 92 or the detent pin 93 from passingtherethrough, causing the locking device 91 to be at least partiallyconstrained within the first portion 84 of the first aperture 95.

The annular surface 61 of the cap portion 18 may further include aspacer 70 disposed over and aligned with the first aperture 95. Thespacer 70 includes an opening 72 formed therethrough having an innerdiameter substantially equal to the first inner diameter of the firstportion 84 of the first aperture 95. Accordingly, the body 94 of thelocking device 91 is able to reciprocate within both the opening 72 ofthe spacer 70 and the first portion 84 of the first aperture 95 whilethe stopper 92 and the detent pin 93 prevent the locking device 91 frombeing removed from the recirculation adapter 10. When not in use, thestopper 92 of the locking device 91 may be configured to normally reston the spacer 70 while the detent pin 93 portion of the locking device91 is normally extending at least partially out of the first aperture 95and into the annular channel 80, as shown in FIG. 2.

The biasing element 76 may include a first end 71 and a second end 72.The first end 71 may abut an edge 89 formed within the first aperture 95and defining a boundary between the first portion 84 and the secondportion 86 thereof. The second end 72 may abut a surface of the detentpin 93 having a larger diameter than the body 94 of the locking device91. The biasing element 76 may accordingly be configured to apply aforce on the detent pin 93, and therefore the remainder of the lockingdevice 91, in a direction toward the annular channel 80 when the detentpin 93 is caused to be moved and compressed in a direction away from theannular channel 80. The biasing device 76 may accordingly be acompression spring, for example. However, it should be understood by oneskilled in the art that any form of biasing device capable of urging thelocking device 91 in a direction toward the annular channel 80 may beused while remaining within the scope of the present invention. Forinstance, in place of the biasing element 76 disposed within the firstaperture 95, the biasing device may be a spring clip (not shown) orother similar device having a first end securely coupled to the annularsurface 61 and a second end securely coupled to the first end 73 of thelocking device 91, wherein movement of the first end 73 of the lockingdevice 91 in a direction away from the annular channel 80 causes thespring clip to urge the locking device back in a direction toward theannular channel 80 due to a resiliency of the spring clip.

The inner body 14 includes an interior surface 3 defining the secondconduit 8. The second conduit 8 may have a profile selected to impartdesired flow characteristics on a liquid fuel flowing through the innerbody 14, such as militating against an undesirable pressure drop withinthe second conduit 8. The second conduit 8 provides fluid communicationbetween the first conduit 7 and an interior of the servicing adapter 30having the sealing surface 42 and the poppet 44.

A first end 5 of the inner body 14 abuts the outer body 12 adjacent thesecond end 52 of the neck portion 16 and the shoulder 85. A second end 6of the inner body 14 may include a nose seal 11 formed thereon. The noseseal 11 is annular in shape and may include a sloped surface facing in adirection toward the annular channel 80. The nose seal 11 is adapted toprovide a seal between the recirculation adapter 10 and the servicingadapter 30 adjacent the sealing surface 42 formed within the servicingadapter 30 when the recirculation adapter 10 and the servicing adapter30 are coupled to each other. When the nose seal 11 abuts the sealingsurface 42, the second conduit 8 is arranged concentrically with theopening 43 having the poppet 44 disposed therein.

In use, a user first decouples the spout from the outlet 22 of thefueling nozzle 20. The user then replaces the spout with therecirculation adapter 10 by inserting the neck portion 16 thereof intothe outlet 22 of the fueling nozzle 20 to couple the recirculationadapter 10 to the fueling nozzle 20 while providing fluid communicationbetween the outlet 22 and the first conduit 7 formed in the neck portion16 of the recirculation adapter 10. As described hereinabove, any knownmethod of coupling the recirculation adapter 10 to the fueling nozzle 20may be used, as desired, and may be dependent on the type of fuelingnozzle 20 being used.

Once the recirculation adapter 10 is coupled to the fueling nozzle 20,the user then positions the recirculation adapter 10 to receive aportion of the servicing adapter 30 therein, as best shown in FIG. 3A.Specifically, the user aligns the open first end 31 of the servicingadapter 30 with the annular channel 80 formed between the outer body 12and the inner body 14 while also aligning the three tabs 34 formed onthe servicing adapter 30 with the three slots 38 formed in the capportion 18. Each of the tabs 34 is then inserted into the first leg 97of each of the corresponding slots 38 until each of the tabs 34 is alsoaligned with the second leg 98 of each of the corresponding slots 38.The recirculation adapter 10 is then rotated with respect to theservicing adapter 30 to place each of the tabs 34 into the second leg 98of each of the slots 38, as best shown in FIG. 3b . The second leg 98 ofeach of the slots 38 may be ramped or disposed at an angle or mayinclude the angled surface 69 to cause the recirculation adapter 10 tobe pressed tightly against the servicing adapter 30 following rotationof the recirculation adapter 10. The locating of the tabs 34 within thesecond leg 98 of each of the slots 38 ensures that the recirculationadapter 10 does not move axially with respect to the servicing adapter30 when coupled thereto.

Once properly positioned and rotated, the rotational position of therecirculation adapter 10 relative to the servicing adapter 30 is securedvia the locking assembly 82, as best shown in FIG. 3c . This occursbecause the detent pin 93 disposed at the second end 74 of the lockingdevice 91 is normally caused to extend at least partially into theannular channel 80 due to the presence of the biasing element 76. Whenthe annular channel 80 receives the open first end 31 of the servicingadapter 30 therein, the surface forming the open first end 31 willcontact the detent pin 93 and cause it to be moved in a direction awayfrom the annular channel 80 and toward the spacer 70. The biasingelement 76 is therefore compressed and applies a force to the detent pin93 in a direction toward the annular channel 80. Once the recirculationadapter 10 has been sufficiently rotated relative to the servicingadapter 30 to place each of the tabs 34 within the second leg 98 of eachof the slots 38, the detent pin 93 will have been rotated to a positionwherein the detent pin 93 is aligned with one of the notches 32 formedin the open first end 31 of the servicing adapter 30. The urging of thebiasing element 76 causes the detent pin 93 to move axially into thenotch 32 of the servicing adapter 30, thereby preventing furtherrotational movement of the servicing adapter 30 relative to therecirculation adapter 10.

Once in the fully coupled position, the nose seal 11 formed on thesecond end 6 of the inner body 14 is pressed tightly against the sealingsurface 42 of the servicing adapter 30 and/or the wall defining thepassageway 33 to provide a substantially fluid tight seal therebetween.The user may then pull the handle 25 of the fueling nozzle 20, therebycausing the lever assembly 26 and the internal valve assembly to causeliquid fuel to exit the outlet 22 of the fueling nozzle 20 and flowthrough the first conduit 7 and the second conduit 8 before entering thepassageway 33 of the servicing adapter 30. The flow of the liquid fueland a pressure of the liquid fuel causes the poppet head 45 to bedisplaced from the sealing surface 42 and the opening 43 against theurging of the biasing device 99, thereby opening the poppet 44 andallowing the liquid fuel to enter the fuel containing receptacle towhich the servicing adapter 30 is coupled via the hollow interior 96 ofthe quick disconnect adapter 90.

The recirculation adapter 10 may then be removed from the servicingadapter 30 by first removing the detent pin 93 from the one of thenotches 32 formed in the servicing adapter 30. The spacer 70 provides agap between the stopper 92 of the locking device 91 and the annularsurface 61 to allow a user to more easily grasp the stopper 92 from theside or underside of the stopper 92. Once the stopper 92 is grasped, theuser may pull the stopper 92 and therefore the remainder of the lockingdevice 91 in a direction away from the annular channel 80, therebyremoving the detent pin 93 from the notch 32 against the urging of thebiasing element 76. Once the detent pin 93 has been removed, therecirculation adapter 10 may once again be rotated relative to theservicing adapter 30 to remove each of the tabs 34 from the second leg98 of each of the slots 38. The recirculation adapter 10 may then bemoved axially to remove each of the tabs 34 from the first leg 97 ofeach of the slots 38, thereby decoupling the recirculation adapter 10from the servicing adapter 30.

It should be understood that the recirculation adapter 10 may be usedfor any suitable purpose in addition to the recirculating of fuel. Forexample, the recirculation adapter 10 may be used to fuel an aircrafthaving a suitable servicing adapter 30 coupled thereto. Furthermore,although the recirculation adapter 10 is described as having three ofthe slots 38 formed therein, it should be understood that therecirculation adapter 10 may have any number of the slots 38 tocorrespond to the number of tabs 34 formed in the first end 31 of theservicing adapter 30. Accordingly, the recirculation adapter 10 may beadapted for use with various different types and configurations ofservicing adapters 30.

From the foregoing description, one ordinarily skilled in the art caneasily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and,without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make variouschanges and modifications to the invention to adapt it to various usagesand conditions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fuel recirculation system comprising: a fuelreservoir including an inlet and an outlet, a fuel stored in the fuelreservoir configured to flow from the outlet of the fuel reservoir tothe inlet of the fluid reservoir in a first flow direction; an overwingtype fuel delivery device disposed downstream of the outlet of the fuelreservoir with respect to the first flow direction, the overwing typefuel delivery device including an outlet, a hand-manipulated leverassembly, and an internal valve assembly selectively controlling a flowof fuel through the outlet of the overwing type fuel delivery device inresponse to a manipulating of the hand-manipulated lever assembly; anunderwing type servicing adapter having a passageway for communicatingthe fuel therethrough, the underwing type servicing adapter disposedupstream of the inlet of the fuel reservoir with respect to the firstflow direction, the underwing type servicing adapter having at least oneradially outwardly extending tab and at least one axially extendingnotch formed in an open end thereof; and a recirculation adapterincluding: a main body having a first end and a second end, the firstend configured to be removably coupled to the outlet of the overwingtype fuel delivery device and the second end configured to be removablycoupled to the underwing type servicing adapter, the second end of themain body having a channel and at least one slot formed therein, whereinthe channel is configured to receive the open end of the underwing typeservicing adapter therein and the at least one slot is configured toreceive the at least one tab of the underwing servicing adapter therein;and a conduit extending from the first end to the second end of the mainbody and configured to provide fluid communication between the outlet ofthe overwing type fuel delivery device and the passageway of theunderwing type servicing adapter, wherein the fuel disposed within thefuel reservoir flows in the first flow direction in order through theoutlet of the fuel reservoir, the outlet of the overwing type fueldelivery device, the conduit of the recirculation adapter, thepassageway of the underwing type servicing adapter, and the inlet of thefuel reservoir in response to the manipulating of the lever assembly ofthe overwing type fuel delivery device when the first end of the mainbody of the recirculation adapter is coupled to the outlet of theoverwing type fuel delivery device and the second end of the main bodyof the recirculation adapter is coupled to the underwing type servicingadapter; and a quick disconnect adapter disposed between the underwingtype servicing adapter and the inlet of the fuel reservoir, the quickdisconnect adapter having a hollow interior including a poppet having apoppet head and a biasing device, the biasing device normally biasingthe poppet head against a sealing surface formed by the underwing typeservicing adapter to prevent fluid communication between the outlet ofthe overwing type fuel delivery device and the inlet of the fuelreservoir prior to the manipulating of the lever assembly of theoverwing type fuel delivery device.
 2. The fuel recirculation system ofclaim 1, wherein the main body of the recirculation adapter includes atleast one slot formed therein for receiving the at least one tab of theservicing adapter.
 3. The fuel recirculation system of claim 2, whereinthe at least one slot includes a first leg extending in an axialdirection of the main body of the recirculation adapter and a second legextending in a direction transverse to the first leg.
 4. The fuelrecirculation system of claim 3, wherein the second leg includes anangled surface extending in a direction away from a plane defined by thesecond end of the main body of the recirculation adapter.
 5. The fuelrecirculation system of claim 1, further comprising a locking devicedisposed in an aperture formed in the main body of the recirculationadapter, wherein at least a portion of the locking device extends intothe channel.
 6. The fuel recirculation system of claim 5, wherein thelocking device is configured to be aligned with the at least one notchformed in the underwing type servicing adapter when the recirculationadapter is coupled to the underwing type servicing adapter to cause thelocking device to extend into the at least one notch, therebyrestricting rotational movement of the recirculation adapter relative tothe underwing type servicing adapter.
 7. The fuel recirculation systemof claim 5, further comprising a biasing element configured to urge thelocking device in a direction toward the channel.
 8. The nozzle adapterof claim 1, wherein the main body of the recirculation adapter includesa nose seal configured to provide a fluid tight seal between therecirculation adapter and a surface of the underwing type servicingadapter.
 9. The fuel recirculation system of claim 1, wherein themanipulating of the lever assembly of the overwing type fuel deliverydevice causes the fuel flowing in the first flow direction to applypressure to the poppet head to disengage the poppet head from thesealing surface against the bias of the biasing device to establishfluid communication between the outlet of the overwing type fueldelivery device and the inlet of the fuel reservoir.
 10. The fuelrecirculation system of claim 1, wherein the outlet of the overwing typefuel delivery device is configured to removably receive a spout when theoutlet of the overwing type fuel delivery device is not coupled to thefirst end of the main body of the recirculation adapter.
 11. A method ofoperating the fuel recirculation system of claim 1 including the stepsof: coupling the first end of the main body of the recirculation adapterto the outlet of the overwing type fuel delivery device; coupling thesecond end of the main body of the recirculation adapter to theunderwing type servicing adapter; and manipulating the lever assembly ofthe overwing type fuel delivery device to cause the fuel to flow in thefirst flow direction from the outlet of the fuel reservoir to the inletof the fuel reservoir.
 12. The method of claim 11, further including astep of removing a spout from the outlet of the overwing type fueldelivery device prior to the step of coupling the first end of the mainbody of the recirculation adapter to the outlet of the overwing typefuel delivery device.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein themanipulating of the lever assembly of the overwing type fuel deliverydevice causes the fuel flowing in the first flow direction to applypressure to a poppet head to disengage the poppet head from a sealingsurface against a bias of a biasing device to establish fluidcommunication between the outlet of the overwing type fuel deliverydevice and the inlet of the fuel reservoir.